Those providing services, or delivering a mixture of goods and services, need to estimate accurately the resources and effort required to complete a specific project. This concerns the estimated cost to the provider of completing a project, which is distinct from the price that a customer or client will pay for receiving the benefit of the completed project. This problem is not addressed by other estimation examples that focus on different matters.
In various fields, estimating guidance exists in the form of general information, and a general-purpose estimating process that utilizes that information. However, it may be difficult to adapt and use such an estimation process, for obtaining accurate estimates for specific projects. Thus there is a need for a tool to bridge the gap between a general, abstract estimation process and particular projects.